[Healeys] BN.3 and other experimental/prototypes

[Joe and Lenore Armour]

Using Geoff Healey's book,'Healey:The Specials' and 'Story of the Big 
Healeys' plus having seen both the known existing BN.3 Healeys I make 
the following observations. 
A. The car under restoration in UK is more like a basic platform used to 
assess and check different potential improvements and/or features pushed 
by Austin for marketing reasons, I would describe it as a Test Mule and 
it may never have been intended to be a production car as we recognise it.
See Healey's X.170 - " 'L' type chassis. ....An attempt to make a car to 
carry four people"....."The car was sold off to someone on the 
understanding that it was a one off and we did not want toknow it."   - 
  Geoff Healey
B. Healey X.179 - " 'L2' type chassis -- no further comment from Geoff.
C.  X.207 - "6 cylinder prototype NWD977. ..... Based on the standard 
100 ... modified to include two seats for children. .... The car was 
nearly right...." - my view a pre-production car.   This is Pat Quinn's car.
D.  X.216   "2nd  6  cylinder prototype - no further comment from Geoff

Interestingly X.3  "was  an exercise ... in 1953 using a Morris Minor 
body shell and Austin Healey engine with part of the chassis. ...  Sold 
for scrap."

Obviously the Donald Healey Motor Company chose to or were directed to 
investigate several options we production and concours obsessed current 
day owners would never recognise. BUT there may be even rarer Healeys 
still out there!!!!!!

Good night all.